Friday 5 January, 2007

One fifth of the population of Chechnya has died in the war there. The West has played deaf. Studies Without Borders is the initiative of a few French students to bring Chechen students to Europe to study. A drop of hope in an ocean of indifference. By Andre and Raphael Glucksmann. read more

Monday 18 December, 2006

Since France's first suburban riots took place there in 1981, Les Minguettes has had a serious image problem. The suburb of Lyon is synonymous with integration problems, urban violence and social decay. But having taken the time to look behind the apartment block facades, Anne-Marie Vaterlaus paints a picture not entirely devoid of hope. read more

Thursday 5 October, 2006

In response to the uproar caused by Benedict XVI's speech in Regensburg, Abdelwahab Meddeb, one of France's most respected Arab writers, considers why peaceful disputes between Christians and Muslims were possible in the Middle Ages but not today. An interview with Michael Mönninger. read more

Thursday 28 September, 2006

American first-time novelist Jonathan Littell has created the sensation of the French literary season with "Les Bienviellantes." Michael Mönninger describes the memoirs of a fictional SS officer as scandalous kitch, an epic panorama and eminently worth reading. read more

Monday 4 September, 2006

Paris is the cinephile's Garden of Eden, yet its arthouse screens are under threat. Having pursued their own form of artistic expression for over 80 years, the Parisian cinemas d'art et d'essai must now use all the ingenuity they can muster to keep bums on seats. By Marc Zitzmann read more

Monday 7 August, 2006

Katja Nicodemus raves about Claude Chabrol's new film with his favorite actress, Isabelle Huppert. As an investigative judge in "Comedy of Power," Huppert is a modern femme fatale, mowing down corruption and male condescension with weapons of wit and writ. read more

Friday 14 July, 2006

Nothing is forcing the Western democracies to crown the Petro Czar. The only thing supporting the Russian economy is the price per barrel. Its industry is stagnating, and Russia needs the West more than vice versa. The powers meeting in St. Petersburg today have to choose: either they prolong an enormous misunderstanding even after its death, or they bury it altogether. By Andre Glucksmann read more

Wednesday 21 June, 2006

Zarqawi was no Ho Chi Minh, and Iraq is no Vietnam. Across the world today, populations are being taken hostage by lawless usurpers. Somalia is an in vivo laboratory for the abomination of abominations: war against civilians. Either we accept a general Somaliasation and take refuge in an illusionary Eurasian fortress, or we revive a democratic, military and critical European-Atlantic alliance. By Andre Glucksmann. read more

Thursday, 1 June 2006

The facts are glaring us in the face, explains Herve Le Tellier, in the fourth part of our series in which writers outline their team's chances of World Cup victory. France cannot but win, even with Zidane on board.
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Wednesday 24 May, 2006

Monday 8 May, 2006

Were it not for Sigmund Freud, the couch would be a normal piece of
furniture. But what's normal anyway? 150 years after his birth, the man who
discovered the unconscious has been re-discovered, or maybe buried for
good. By Daniel Binswanger read more

Tuesday 4 April, 2006

French philosopher and novelist Pascal Bruckner has no qualms about bucking public opinion. In an interview with Marko Martin he discusses Gallic fury, suburban rioters' scorched earth methods, the systemic weaknesses of French society and the Finkielkraut Affair.
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Tuesday 14 February, 2006

The disconcerting thing about the cartoon conflict is having to remind people that we
have the right to commit blasphemy, that picking on the parish priest
has long been a national sport. When we talk about anti-Muslim racism, we ask: what race are we talking about? Is Islam genetically transmittable? An open letter by eleven French writers.
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